Art can be anything from a fire hydrant on the corner of the block to graffiti on the side of the train to an old-school car. The most common form of art people think of is the painting.You can combine vivid colors and use perspective to recreate any photo onto a canvas. Chuck Gillies used these same ingredients to recreate one of the greatest shots of all time in the NBA.

Michael Jordan is considered the Greatest of All-Time in the basketball scene. He was a six-time NBA champion, six-time NBA Finals MVP, and fourteen-time NBA All-Star. He also hit a game-winning shot against the Utah Jazz in Game 5 of the 1989 Eastern Conference Finals. While the clock wound down with six seconds left, Jordan pulled up at the free throw line and shot over a Jazz defender to win the series with a 101-100 victory. The shot was so memorable and iconic, it became known simply as “The Shot.”

The Shot was recreated in a painting, and that is the painting I chose to write about. I felt like I could really connect with this painting. Basketball has been a huge part of my life since I began playing it in third grade. NBA games on television are something I always tune into so as soon as I saw the painting of Michael Jordan hitting his shot, I knew this was the artwork for me.

The first thing I noticed when I saw the painting was how realistic it was. Gillies put so much detail into every person’s face. Everyone in the crowd looks in awe as Jordan pulls up and shoots the game-winning shot. I can hear the crowd silence with a simultaneous deep breath. His Bulls teammates’ faces fill with hope and worry as they wait to see if their leader can drain the near impossible shot. The opposing Jazz players’ hearts fall through a trapdoor of fear as they watch the last shot sail toward the hoop. The reflections of the players and crowd in the hardwood floor of the court are like trees reflecting off the still water of a Minnesota lake. The sweat glistening off the players’ heads and bodies shows just how much detail went into this painting.

The detail in this painting is incredible. You can see the faces of many people in the crowd and immediately tell what they’re thinking. A person with their hands over their mouth is riding a rollercoaster of emotions. A Bulls fan with their arms up is as excited as a million dollar lottery winner. Each individual person in the crowd feeling a different emotion as the ball sails through the air.

I think the meaning of this painting is that anything can change in the blink of an eye. One moment you’re down a single point and about to be sent home with a tough loss, the next moment you’re victorious and advancing further to the championship. Another meaning could possibly be to never give up. Jordan never threw in the towel in any of his games. He even played through a game when he had the flu because he knew his team needed him. Jordan never gave up in this game either. He pushed and fought hard the entire game just like the other team. But when it mattered, he fought harder, didn’t give up, and became the hero for his team.

The main reason I chose this painting was because of how much of a role basketball has played in my life. I look at this painting and am reminded of my own team’s game against Frazee in my junior year. We were down by three points with about two minutes to go in the second half. We were on a fastbreak after a turnover from them and I went out to the corner to try and hide from the defense for an open corner three.

Luke dribbled the ball up and drove towards the rim then passed the ball out to me. I was wide open. All I had to do was make the shot. I brought the ball above my head, jumped off the ground and let the ball sail towards the hoop.

My heart was racing as I watched the basketball glide in the air. It felt like everything was in slow-motion. Finally after what felt like an eternity of waiting, the ball went through the net. All of the Park Rapids players roared with excitement. I felt like a hero. It was an amazing feeling. The game went into overtime and we pulled out an eight point victory.

When I look at this painting, I taste the sweat on my upper lip. I hear the crowd fall silent when a shot is taken and traveling through the air. I feel the ball escape the grip of my hands when I take a shot. I smell the pungent odor from the other basketball players. Most important of all, I see a basketball player who never gave up and kept on fighting no matter the circumstances. I found a deep meaning behind this piece of artwork, and this paper provides a clearer view as to why I do.